Monday, April 29, 2013

Here is a round-up of today's proverbs and fables - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. I'm getting ready for what's going to be a summer of proverb adventures (next week is the last week of classes!), shifting my focus to English-language proverbs. You can see what's going on over there at my new blog, The Proverb Laboratory, if you are interested.

ELIZABETHAN PROVERBS: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Taverner: Vino vendibili suspensa hedera nihil opus: Wine that is saleable and good needeth no bushe or garlande of yvie to be hanged before. Like as men wil loke out good wine, thoughe there be no signe at al to directe and appointe them where it is to be solde, so all good thinges neede no commendacion of any outwarde badget or token. Good marchaundise, and also pure and substanciall thinges of what kinde, so ever they be, do prayse them selves. The English Proverbe is this, Good wine neadeth no signe.

GreekLOLz - and Latin and English, too. Below is one of my GreekLOLz; for the individual Greek, Latin and English versions of the graphic, see the blog post: Ἄιδεις ὥσπερ εἰς Δῆλον πλέων. Canis tamquam Delum navigans. You sing as if you were sailing to Delos.

ANIMAL PROVERBS: Today's animal proverb is In magno magni capiuntur flumine pisces (English: In the big river you can catch big fish).

POLYDORUS: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Hylam vocat (English: He's calling out to Hylas - but in vain; this is the cry of Hercules, searching for Hylas after the nymphs took him).

PROPER NAME PROVERBS: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Ad Graecas calendas (English: On the Greek calends; from Adagia 1.5.84; this is to say "never" - as the Greek reckoning of days and months did not have "calends" as the Romans did).

Greek Bible Art - and Latin and English, too. Below is one of my Greek Bible Art graphics; for the individual Greek, Latin and English versions of the graphic, see the blog post: ἄρατε τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης. Tollite arcam foederis. Take up the ark of the covenant.

AUDIO PROVERBS: Today's audio Latin proverb is Longa est vita si plena est (English: Life is long, if it is full). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Here is a round-up of today's proverbs and fables - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. I'm getting ready for what's going to be a summer of proverb adventures (just two weeks until the end of the semester), and I'll be shifting my focus to English-language proverbs. You can see what's going on over there at my new blog, The Proverb Laboratory, if you are interested.

ELIZABETHAN PROVERBS: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Taverner: Quam quisque norit artem, in hac se exerceat: Let every man exercise him selfe, in the facultie that he knoweth. Let the cobler medle with cloutinge his neighbours shoes, and not be a Capitaine in fielde, or meddell with matters concerning a comon welth. Let them iudge of controversies in the christen religion, that be learned in the same, and not every Jacke plowman.

GreekLOLz - and Latin and English, too. Below is one of my GreekLOLz; for the individual Greek, Latin and English versions of the graphic, see the blog post: Ἀετὸς μυίας οὐ θηρεύει. Aquila non venatur muscas. An eagle doesn't hunt flies.

POLYDORUS: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Ut pisces hamo, ita homines beneficio capiuntur (English: As fish with the hook, so are men captured by favors).

PROPER NAME PROVERBS: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Iapeto antiquior (English: Older than Iapetus; from Adagia 5.2.51 - the ancient Titan Iapetus was a distant ancestor of the human race, being as he was the father of Prometheus).

Greek Bible Art - and Latin and English, too. Below is one of my Greek Bible Art graphics; for the individual Greek, Latin and English versions of the graphic, see the blog post: εἶδον βιβλίον κατεσφραγισμένον σφραγῖσιν ἑπτά. Vidi librum signatum sigillis septem. I saw a book sealed with seven seals.

AUDIO PROVERBS: Today's audio Latin proverb is Nemo non formosus filius matri (English: No one fails to be a beautiful son for his mother). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

ERASMUS' ANIMALS: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is A fronte praecipitium, a tergo lupi (English: A cliff ahead, wolves behind; from Adagia 3.4.94 - something like "between a rock and a hard place," but with wolves! ).

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Here is a round-up of today's proverbs and fables - and for previous posts, check out the Bestiaria Latina Blog archives. I'm getting ready for what's going to be a summer of proverb adventures, shifting my focus to English-language proverbs. You can see what's going on over there at my new blog, The Proverb Laboratory, if you are interested.

ELIZABETHAN PROVERBS: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Taverner: Summum ius, summa iniuria: Extreme lawe is extreme wrong. This is to say, then most of all men swarve from right and equitie whan they most supersticiouslye sticke to the letters of lawes, not regarding th'intent of the makers. For this is called, Summum ius, that is to say, the extremitie or rigoure of the lawe, whan all the strife and contencion is upon the wordes of the law without any respecte to the meaning and purpose of the lawe makers..

GreekLOLz - and Latin and English, too. Below is one of my GreekLOLz; for the individual Greek, Latin and English versions of the graphic, see the blog post: Ἄτλας τὸν οὐρανόν. Atlas caelum. Atlas holds the sky.

POLYDORUS: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Qui ambulat in tenebris, nescit quo vadat (English: He who walks in the shadows knows not where he goes).

PROPER NAME PROVERBS: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Saguntina fames (English: The hunger of Sagentum; from Adagia 1.9.67 - This refers to a terrible hunger, from the infamous Siege of Sagentum, when Hannibal was able to capture Saguntum, thanks to the failure of Rome to come to the city's aid.).

GREEK PROVERBS: Today's proverb is Ἥν ἔλαχες Σπάρτην, ταύτην κόσμει (English: Since you have been allotted Sparta, adorn her, presumably the words of Agamemnon to his brother Menelaus, who was made king of Sparta).

Greek Bible Art - and Latin and English, too. Below is one of my Greek Bible Art graphics; for the individual Greek, Latin and English versions of the graphic, see the blog post: φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ. Vox clamantis in deserto. The voice of one crying in the wilderness.

AUDIO PROVERBS: Today's audio Latin proverb is XXX (English: The leopard does not set aside his spots). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

FABULAE FACILES: The fable from the Fabulae Faciles widget is Crocodilus et Canis, the story of the hypocritical crocodile and the discerning dog (this fable has a vocabulary list).

GreekLOLz - and Latin and English, too. Below is one of my GreekLOLz; for the individual Greek, Latin and English versions of the graphic, see the blog post: Ἀλκυονίτιδας ἡμέρας ἄγεις. Alcyonis dies agis. You are enjoying Halcyon days.